Every time I get disheartened with Harry, I have to remember how far I've come.
So you may remember that he is in a bit of a slump performance-wise lately. He's just not very enthusiastic about gaiting and not doing nearly as well as he was in April or so and I can't figure out why. He just got his shoes done last weekend, so I figured that this weekend there might be a little bit of a change. He's just not having it. He's very stretched out and not collected and despite the huge amount of circlework that we're doing, it just doesn't seem to be helping. He isn't tap-dancing anymore, so that's a plus, but his corto has definitely extended and his largo is more pace than gait. If we make it to the next show, that means I only have five more practice days with him, and I'm not so sure that I can accomplish this big of a goal in only five days, especially when I don't even know where to start tackling the problem.
But I do have to admit, I'm proud of how relaxed he's gotten, even if it seems to be making him a little bit lazy. His whole problem with the tap dancing was because of all this pent up energy and anxiety that he had and now that he's let that go, it's like he has no real steam to fuel his engine, the little train that he is (or was). But today before I rode, I did some more Parelli Games. He let me swish the rope all around him today without continuing to turn so that he was still facing me. He let me twirl the rope like a helicopter and he wasn't even phased by it. He even let me swing the rope over him in an arc from one side to the other without getting scared of seeing it or hearing the hum that it was making through the air! I played the Porcupine Game with him a bit today and he was really good at it. I didn't have to put pressure on either his shoulders or his hinds for very long before he got the idea to pivot away from it. So yeah, our performance might be suffering a little bit, but I would rather be gaining his trust and having him calm down so that he's a sociable animal than being a great performance and absolutely skittish of everything. Now I just need to find a way to combine the two.
After our somewhat depressing ride (only because he was pokey), we went outside with Samantha and Tobacco. I'm so proud of my little Harry! He has been scared of the pond in back for the longest time, and two weeks ago we went out and I lead him around it on foot and we got really close to the water's edge. Well today when we were riding outside, we were able to calmly walk next to it without the fear of being eaten up by the sea demons! In fact, the entire ride outside was wonderful. He's turning into being a great trail horse, but I do still have hope for finding a happy medium between super anxious but good performance and really calm but very pokey. Tomorrow, we're trying the fruit basket.
Showing posts with label progress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label progress. Show all posts
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Day 175
Didn't go out yesterday because I went to our rivalry football game. We lost =[
Yesterday, though, my mom told me that Harry was working super well next to Brie in the arena and that he's finally getting his speed and coordination down in his largo. My mom wanted to warm him up today, so I rode Brie, who is getting along just fine. She really does hate the double reins though -- she thinks they're for babies!
When I got on Harry, he tried to take off. There were a couple other horses in the arena, so I was not having that. Suddenly he got scared of the sunshine, that goof. So after a couple of halts, circles, and tugs, he calmed down and settled into a really collected corto. It was magnificent to ride. It could almost be Fino, but he could never compete against, say, the stallion who just won Nationals. I would put up a video, but it's not on YouTube yet. He was mindblowing. But to compete up here in shows, Harry would be great in Fino. And when we let loose into a largo, he never tap danced! I'm so happy with him and how my mom's been working him to get him like that. Now if we could just keep this up until the Spring when showing starts again!
What I thought was really cute was that he really wanted to go outside. After we went across the board indoor and outdoor and came back in to cool, he stopped in front of the door and looked outside all sad-like. So my mom hopped on Brie and my dad got on Nina (!!!) and we went out into the trails in back of the property. My dad's starting to ride, since he really doesn't, and I think it's great!
Yesterday, though, my mom told me that Harry was working super well next to Brie in the arena and that he's finally getting his speed and coordination down in his largo. My mom wanted to warm him up today, so I rode Brie, who is getting along just fine. She really does hate the double reins though -- she thinks they're for babies!
When I got on Harry, he tried to take off. There were a couple other horses in the arena, so I was not having that. Suddenly he got scared of the sunshine, that goof. So after a couple of halts, circles, and tugs, he calmed down and settled into a really collected corto. It was magnificent to ride. It could almost be Fino, but he could never compete against, say, the stallion who just won Nationals. I would put up a video, but it's not on YouTube yet. He was mindblowing. But to compete up here in shows, Harry would be great in Fino. And when we let loose into a largo, he never tap danced! I'm so happy with him and how my mom's been working him to get him like that. Now if we could just keep this up until the Spring when showing starts again!
What I thought was really cute was that he really wanted to go outside. After we went across the board indoor and outdoor and came back in to cool, he stopped in front of the door and looked outside all sad-like. So my mom hopped on Brie and my dad got on Nina (!!!) and we went out into the trails in back of the property. My dad's starting to ride, since he really doesn't, and I think it's great!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Day 170
Sunday
First -- I have pictures! I'll put them in a separate post so this doesn't get too long.
I didn't make it out yesterday because I was working concessions for the team. That is something I won't even get started with...I was at the football arena for 8 hours! But overall, I'm really excited to be on the team again, everyone seems like they want to make an effort to remain drama-free this year, which is awesome.
My neck still kind of hurt today, but against better judgement I rode Brie without a bit. Not for any particular reason, I just felt like it. Brie was slightly confused and her headset wasn't very good at all, but she still had a good behavior, which is all I wanted. My mom and brother have been working on some kind of dressage circling exercise for the back legs with Nina and Harry, so when I joined in Brie's first thought was "Canter circles yay!" and proceeded to be confused when I wanted her to largo, not canter in a circle, but she obliged. I had to put a bit back on her before anyone else got on because they didn't want her to be totally off the walls with them.
I rode Harry today. It was such a weird feeling. Like...after not riding a horse for a while, you feel bad about it, even though someone else is. I got that a lot when I was training Harry last summer and my mom rode Brie all the time, and now I have it with Harry because my mom's been training him while I ride Brie. It's like a kind of guilt. I don't get that with Nina, though, because I never really ride her, just pet her since my brother is like a dictator over who rides Nina.
Harry knew that I hadn't been on him in a while and tried to get away with going sideways on the wall. I was more focused on getting him on the wall than his gait, and since he's very sensitive to leg pressure, he kept speeding up when I tried to make him yield to my leg. It was all very frustrating for a good 15 minutes and then he kind of got the idea and while he wasn't really on the wall, at least he was close to it and going straight.
His gait across the board was great, and his largo seems like it's really coming along with everything my mom's been doing. Paco finally confessed yesterday that he thought that if Harry was properly trained as a baby he would be a Fino horse, but since he's already 7, you can't really do much to change that, so he'll stay in Performance. It was a bittersweet moment, where I'm happy that he's Performance, but really kind of bummed that he could've been this amazing Fino horse. Either way, he's still my teddy bear. Really, once you get to know him, he acts like one and kind of looks like one with his huge brown eyes.
What I was really impressed with was how he acted on our little ride outside. As you may remember, he's really nervous going outside and likes to be thisclose to Nina all the time for fear if she leaves, the Sun might swoop down and eat him alive. But today he was only a tiny bit nervous when we started out and then really calmed down! Brie, on the other hand, was crazy enough for the both of them. Harry was totally calm when we walked by the pond (that Nessie lives in and might eat him at any minute) and even led everyone up the little hill in back and around back to the barn! I was so proud of him, I can't even describe it.
It's gonna be hard now, because I'm going back to school. Fall Quarter is always hard because I like to stay for the football games on Saturdays, so I only get Sundays to ride. I wanted to start doing some more Parelli work with Harry because I started such a while back and never got to finish because show season took over. I think it'd be really good for his mental state.
First -- I have pictures! I'll put them in a separate post so this doesn't get too long.
I didn't make it out yesterday because I was working concessions for the team. That is something I won't even get started with...I was at the football arena for 8 hours! But overall, I'm really excited to be on the team again, everyone seems like they want to make an effort to remain drama-free this year, which is awesome.
My neck still kind of hurt today, but against better judgement I rode Brie without a bit. Not for any particular reason, I just felt like it. Brie was slightly confused and her headset wasn't very good at all, but she still had a good behavior, which is all I wanted. My mom and brother have been working on some kind of dressage circling exercise for the back legs with Nina and Harry, so when I joined in Brie's first thought was "Canter circles yay!" and proceeded to be confused when I wanted her to largo, not canter in a circle, but she obliged. I had to put a bit back on her before anyone else got on because they didn't want her to be totally off the walls with them.
I rode Harry today. It was such a weird feeling. Like...after not riding a horse for a while, you feel bad about it, even though someone else is. I got that a lot when I was training Harry last summer and my mom rode Brie all the time, and now I have it with Harry because my mom's been training him while I ride Brie. It's like a kind of guilt. I don't get that with Nina, though, because I never really ride her, just pet her since my brother is like a dictator over who rides Nina.
Harry knew that I hadn't been on him in a while and tried to get away with going sideways on the wall. I was more focused on getting him on the wall than his gait, and since he's very sensitive to leg pressure, he kept speeding up when I tried to make him yield to my leg. It was all very frustrating for a good 15 minutes and then he kind of got the idea and while he wasn't really on the wall, at least he was close to it and going straight.
His gait across the board was great, and his largo seems like it's really coming along with everything my mom's been doing. Paco finally confessed yesterday that he thought that if Harry was properly trained as a baby he would be a Fino horse, but since he's already 7, you can't really do much to change that, so he'll stay in Performance. It was a bittersweet moment, where I'm happy that he's Performance, but really kind of bummed that he could've been this amazing Fino horse. Either way, he's still my teddy bear. Really, once you get to know him, he acts like one and kind of looks like one with his huge brown eyes.
What I was really impressed with was how he acted on our little ride outside. As you may remember, he's really nervous going outside and likes to be thisclose to Nina all the time for fear if she leaves, the Sun might swoop down and eat him alive. But today he was only a tiny bit nervous when we started out and then really calmed down! Brie, on the other hand, was crazy enough for the both of them. Harry was totally calm when we walked by the pond (that Nessie lives in and might eat him at any minute) and even led everyone up the little hill in back and around back to the barn! I was so proud of him, I can't even describe it.
It's gonna be hard now, because I'm going back to school. Fall Quarter is always hard because I like to stay for the football games on Saturdays, so I only get Sundays to ride. I wanted to start doing some more Parelli work with Harry because I started such a while back and never got to finish because show season took over. I think it'd be really good for his mental state.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Day 68
Yay for progress!
I may have told you a while back that I started working with Harry on some Parelli games. Well, actually, game in the singular. I started working on the Friendly Game with him and he was okay with the string for the carrot stick and the carrot stick separately, but not together, probably because it looks like a giant whip (but it's really not). We made huge progress today when I was able to connect the two and rub them over him and he didn't flinch! It was fantastic. Step 1 of the trust-building achieved!
It was thunder-storming today. Last time I rode Harry in a thunder-storm he got kind of freaked out. He was okay today, probably because the thunder was far away and it was just raining hard. I lunged him for quite a while and then started working. We changed his bosal and barbada (noseband and chin piece) and his entire jaquima because of Paco's recommendation yesterday. After working for a while, trying (unsuccessfully) to get him to walk on the rail, Paco adjusted the jaquima and told me that sometimes I have to give a little to get something in return from the horse, otherwise he'll just be mad at me. Makes sense. So he told me to just work on going straight down the line, not necessarily on the rail, and that each time to push Harry over a little bit and soon he'll be on the rail. Hopefully that works.
I also have exciting news. Exciting for me at least. Ray was watching us today while he was training and he told me as I passed by on Harry that I was doing a good job and to keep it up, I'll get there eventually. That may have just been a crock, but it gave me a smug feeling to know that he complimented me.
Didn't ride Nina. Again.
Rode Brie. This is our second to last practice before our Michigan show next weekend. I'm excited for it. She was a little uppity today, hopefully she's more calm on Wednesday for our last practice. I really hope she does well, I have to admit, I'll be really disappointed if she doesn't. All I'm asking for is to NOT get excused and to NOT come in last place. Second to last place is completely acceptable at this point. I gotta work my way up.
I may have told you a while back that I started working with Harry on some Parelli games. Well, actually, game in the singular. I started working on the Friendly Game with him and he was okay with the string for the carrot stick and the carrot stick separately, but not together, probably because it looks like a giant whip (but it's really not). We made huge progress today when I was able to connect the two and rub them over him and he didn't flinch! It was fantastic. Step 1 of the trust-building achieved!
It was thunder-storming today. Last time I rode Harry in a thunder-storm he got kind of freaked out. He was okay today, probably because the thunder was far away and it was just raining hard. I lunged him for quite a while and then started working. We changed his bosal and barbada (noseband and chin piece) and his entire jaquima because of Paco's recommendation yesterday. After working for a while, trying (unsuccessfully) to get him to walk on the rail, Paco adjusted the jaquima and told me that sometimes I have to give a little to get something in return from the horse, otherwise he'll just be mad at me. Makes sense. So he told me to just work on going straight down the line, not necessarily on the rail, and that each time to push Harry over a little bit and soon he'll be on the rail. Hopefully that works.
I also have exciting news. Exciting for me at least. Ray was watching us today while he was training and he told me as I passed by on Harry that I was doing a good job and to keep it up, I'll get there eventually. That may have just been a crock, but it gave me a smug feeling to know that he complimented me.
Didn't ride Nina. Again.
Rode Brie. This is our second to last practice before our Michigan show next weekend. I'm excited for it. She was a little uppity today, hopefully she's more calm on Wednesday for our last practice. I really hope she does well, I have to admit, I'll be really disappointed if she doesn't. All I'm asking for is to NOT get excused and to NOT come in last place. Second to last place is completely acceptable at this point. I gotta work my way up.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Days 63 and 64
Sunday
It was soooooo hot out today. Harry was dripping with sweat just from lunging. That also meant he was tired enough to cooperate =] He was fantastic gaiting today. We worked for about an hour. I also stopped lunging him around the pole, since Paco pointed out that there aren't any working poles at shows. When I lunged him without the pole it was quite successful. He didn't bolt away or get really close to me. We worked inside then went outside. I was a little nervous about riding him outside since the last time I rode him outside was when Ray was training him and he kept rearing. Harry was perfect. He was rushing the soundboard a little bit. It seems like getting him to not rush the soundboard and get a more relaxed walk is the key to winning at our next show. I also need to find where his largo is that way I won't break into a canter and lose points.
Apparently, Nina was really bad today. My brother is having a hard time lunging her since she keeps wanting to walk on top of him. He's been using the carrot stick in order to push her on from behind, never actually touching her, just holding it out to make sure that she would see it behind her.
I never thought I'd look forward to riding Brie as a break. She's been doing fantastically the past few weeks. She's perfectly calm and just goes along. It's almost like she's an impostor horse! I'm so pleased with her and hopefully she'll stay like this for show.
Monday
It was thundering really bad today. When we walked into the stable, Harry was in the corner of his stall corner, shaking. We calmed him down and got him out. He was really wary of the rain outside the barn though and kept looking behind himself out the door at the rain. I was nervous riding him today because I didn't want him to freak out and bolt, causing me to fall or something. But he actually did pretty well. Everytime I saw a big lightening I prepared myself for the cracking thunder that followed it and he was pretty good. He only got freaked out really bad once and that was when we were cooling off. I stopped by one of the large doors looking outside and he saw the huge lightening and immediately stiffened up and bolted away from the door when he heard the thunder. I held on and turned him that way he wouldn't have the chance to rear up though, and he was a little shaken after that but I walked him until he calmed down. He was also rushing the board again today. I'll really have to work on that.
I didn't really pay attention to Nina today except for after I put Harry away. She kept sliding off the soundboard on the side. I think it's just a matter of the rider centering themselves over the board so she knows where to go. Other than that, she's been fantastic letting us put the jaquima and the bit on and has been keeping her head down really nicely. I hope she gets her act together before the Michigan show.
Once again, Brie was the dream ride today! I never thought I'd reach the day when I could just plop on and barely move my hands and use my leg then entire time to control her speed and direction. I just love that horse more and more every day. I feel like this time training her has been such a success, but we'll only find out when we hit the next show.
Michigan, here we come!
It was soooooo hot out today. Harry was dripping with sweat just from lunging. That also meant he was tired enough to cooperate =] He was fantastic gaiting today. We worked for about an hour. I also stopped lunging him around the pole, since Paco pointed out that there aren't any working poles at shows. When I lunged him without the pole it was quite successful. He didn't bolt away or get really close to me. We worked inside then went outside. I was a little nervous about riding him outside since the last time I rode him outside was when Ray was training him and he kept rearing. Harry was perfect. He was rushing the soundboard a little bit. It seems like getting him to not rush the soundboard and get a more relaxed walk is the key to winning at our next show. I also need to find where his largo is that way I won't break into a canter and lose points.
Apparently, Nina was really bad today. My brother is having a hard time lunging her since she keeps wanting to walk on top of him. He's been using the carrot stick in order to push her on from behind, never actually touching her, just holding it out to make sure that she would see it behind her.
I never thought I'd look forward to riding Brie as a break. She's been doing fantastically the past few weeks. She's perfectly calm and just goes along. It's almost like she's an impostor horse! I'm so pleased with her and hopefully she'll stay like this for show.
Monday
It was thundering really bad today. When we walked into the stable, Harry was in the corner of his stall corner, shaking. We calmed him down and got him out. He was really wary of the rain outside the barn though and kept looking behind himself out the door at the rain. I was nervous riding him today because I didn't want him to freak out and bolt, causing me to fall or something. But he actually did pretty well. Everytime I saw a big lightening I prepared myself for the cracking thunder that followed it and he was pretty good. He only got freaked out really bad once and that was when we were cooling off. I stopped by one of the large doors looking outside and he saw the huge lightening and immediately stiffened up and bolted away from the door when he heard the thunder. I held on and turned him that way he wouldn't have the chance to rear up though, and he was a little shaken after that but I walked him until he calmed down. He was also rushing the board again today. I'll really have to work on that.
I didn't really pay attention to Nina today except for after I put Harry away. She kept sliding off the soundboard on the side. I think it's just a matter of the rider centering themselves over the board so she knows where to go. Other than that, she's been fantastic letting us put the jaquima and the bit on and has been keeping her head down really nicely. I hope she gets her act together before the Michigan show.
Once again, Brie was the dream ride today! I never thought I'd reach the day when I could just plop on and barely move my hands and use my leg then entire time to control her speed and direction. I just love that horse more and more every day. I feel like this time training her has been such a success, but we'll only find out when we hit the next show.
Michigan, here we come!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Days 58 & 59
Day 58 - Saturday, 5/8/10
I rode Nina today. This is the first time I've legit rode her. I mean, yeah, I rode her outside, but I never really tried to collect her or anything. It was just for fun. I only walked her around in a circle, making my invisible round pen, because I needed to get used to her. She's very different from Harry and Brie. I have to hold my hands extra far apart because she doesn't like the rein on her neck. She likes to trocha and trot when she can get away with it.
And she hates when you touch the top of her head. I don't know if it's just a game she's playing with us or what, because when Ray and even Andre used to tack her up, they would be perfectly fine getting the bit in and touching the top of her head. She goes crazy when you try to get the bit hanger and jaquima over her ears, trying to rear and everything. I insist that keeping her on the cross ties is not a good idea while trying to tack her up because you could get choked or smacked with those in addition to being pushed over or injured by her, along with them just being in the way.
Harry was pretty good today. His gait is phenomenal, it's just getting him to walk that's tricky. I guess it was the same problem with Brie though, too, back in the day. Ray even gave me a compliment. He told me that I was doing a fantastic job with Harry and that he looks a lot better. =]
Brie was good! She's perfectly, show ready, I feel like. I just wish my parents would agree with me and leave Harry home for this show, since I feel like he's not ready, and let me spend more time getting to know him, and go and show Brie. I feel like all this progress and hard work with Brie will go to waste if I only bring her to show in the State Fair. Ugh.
Day 59 - Sunday, 5/9/10
Today's Nina's birthday! I thought her birthday was coming up soon yesterday, so I checked this morning on her registration papers and it was today! Yay! We brought apples to them in celebration. It definitely made Brie's day a lot more than Nina's!
I didn't ride Nina today. I got in an argument with my mom over bit-inserting techniques. I wish I knew why Nina wasn't accepting the bit into her mouth, or letting us put it over her head. It's so frustrating. And it's so angering that I can only go there twice a week to work with them. It's kind of depressing knowing I've been working on Brie since October and it's only amounted to barely two months of training. If I actually did two months of training, every day, I can only imagine how amazing they would be.
Harry was a little excited when I rode him. He kind of scared me at one point, when he charged past a couple of flags and started hopping all over, so I pulled him to the side and made him flex, but not before he spun like a tornado and the saddle almost wound up underneath him and me on the floor. My mom wanted me to get off and end it, but I wasn't about to let that session end on a bad note. I got off, calmed myself down because I admit I was a little freaked out, adjusted the saddle, talked to him, and got back on. He tried to charge past the flags again on the next time around, but I handled it very well and made him walk and reverse past them a couple of times. He calmed down. He had another phenomenal board. When I do get to showing him, he'll clean up.
Brie was simply amazing today. She walked calmly, she corto-ed perfectly, and didn't break into a canter for her largo. Her performance today only makes me more sad that we might not be able to bring her to the Springfield show.
I rode Nina today. This is the first time I've legit rode her. I mean, yeah, I rode her outside, but I never really tried to collect her or anything. It was just for fun. I only walked her around in a circle, making my invisible round pen, because I needed to get used to her. She's very different from Harry and Brie. I have to hold my hands extra far apart because she doesn't like the rein on her neck. She likes to trocha and trot when she can get away with it.
And she hates when you touch the top of her head. I don't know if it's just a game she's playing with us or what, because when Ray and even Andre used to tack her up, they would be perfectly fine getting the bit in and touching the top of her head. She goes crazy when you try to get the bit hanger and jaquima over her ears, trying to rear and everything. I insist that keeping her on the cross ties is not a good idea while trying to tack her up because you could get choked or smacked with those in addition to being pushed over or injured by her, along with them just being in the way.
Harry was pretty good today. His gait is phenomenal, it's just getting him to walk that's tricky. I guess it was the same problem with Brie though, too, back in the day. Ray even gave me a compliment. He told me that I was doing a fantastic job with Harry and that he looks a lot better. =]
Brie was good! She's perfectly, show ready, I feel like. I just wish my parents would agree with me and leave Harry home for this show, since I feel like he's not ready, and let me spend more time getting to know him, and go and show Brie. I feel like all this progress and hard work with Brie will go to waste if I only bring her to show in the State Fair. Ugh.
Day 59 - Sunday, 5/9/10
Today's Nina's birthday! I thought her birthday was coming up soon yesterday, so I checked this morning on her registration papers and it was today! Yay! We brought apples to them in celebration. It definitely made Brie's day a lot more than Nina's!
I didn't ride Nina today. I got in an argument with my mom over bit-inserting techniques. I wish I knew why Nina wasn't accepting the bit into her mouth, or letting us put it over her head. It's so frustrating. And it's so angering that I can only go there twice a week to work with them. It's kind of depressing knowing I've been working on Brie since October and it's only amounted to barely two months of training. If I actually did two months of training, every day, I can only imagine how amazing they would be.
Harry was a little excited when I rode him. He kind of scared me at one point, when he charged past a couple of flags and started hopping all over, so I pulled him to the side and made him flex, but not before he spun like a tornado and the saddle almost wound up underneath him and me on the floor. My mom wanted me to get off and end it, but I wasn't about to let that session end on a bad note. I got off, calmed myself down because I admit I was a little freaked out, adjusted the saddle, talked to him, and got back on. He tried to charge past the flags again on the next time around, but I handled it very well and made him walk and reverse past them a couple of times. He calmed down. He had another phenomenal board. When I do get to showing him, he'll clean up.
Brie was simply amazing today. She walked calmly, she corto-ed perfectly, and didn't break into a canter for her largo. Her performance today only makes me more sad that we might not be able to bring her to the Springfield show.
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